System of supplying hydrogen gas to furnaces.



G. F. PIERCE. SYSTEM OF SUPPLYING HYDROGEN GAS T0 FURNACES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1914.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

By hrroR/vEr.

G. F. PIERCE.

SYSTEM OF SUPPLYING HYDROGEN GAS T0 FURNACES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, I914.

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m. 8 E L w W ATTORNEY,

THE COLUMBIA PLAPIOGRAPH 50., wAsHmu'ruNfn c.

GEORGE IF PIERCE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SYSTEM OF SUPPLYING HYDROGEN GAS TO FURNACES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Application filed April 29, 1914. Serial No. 835,166.

To aZLwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. Pmnon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Supplying Hydrogen Gas to Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates. to a system ofsupplying hydrogen to furnaces, and the objects of the invention are to obviatev grate-clogging from lignite, or bituminous coal; to enhance combustion of fuel and gases arising therefrom; and to combat smoke generation, especially when the furnace doors are open to charge the furnace with fuel.

In eflecting the abovementioned objects I employ hydrogen combined with oxygen both in liquid form as water, or gaseous form as steam or vapor. The entire steam supply may be taken from the furnace boiler, but in order to economize the boiler steam, I provide independent steam generating apparatus to supplement the boiler steam. The boiler steam supply and the independent steam supply are interconnected, so that both supplies may be used either simultaneously or independently.

The system is applicable to furnaces employed for either domestic .or commercial purposes, or for high pressure or low pressure steamplants.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be ,madeto the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of my system with the steam'boiler to which it is connected removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of a furnace and a boiler provided with my system, said boiler being in elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of a spray nozzle employed in carrying out the invention. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of a plurality of tubes with steam jets arranged therein. V

1 designates a bridge-wall, 2 an ash-pit, and 3 a grate similar in construction to the grate disclosed in 'my copending application filed July 14, 1913, Serial No. 778,924.

4 designates a steam boiler arranged above the grate 3, which latter is supported upon 1 ,water in the tank 22 from freezing in cold an endless perforate pipe 5 consisting of straight lengths connected by four-way couplings 6. The pipe 5 consitutes a rectangular vaporizer, or steam generator, fora purpose whlch Will hereinafter appear. Deadheads 7 project laterally from the unions 6 to be embedded in the side walls 8 of the furnace, to firmly support the pipe 5 and the parts connected thereto. The pipe 5 skirts the ash-pit walls to be out of the way of imperforate. One of the unions 6 communi cates with the underlyingpipe 9 through the intermediacy of a header 10, connected to a steam supply pipe 11 and a water supply pipe 12. The lower end ofthe header 10 is provided with a drain-cock 10*, through which the pipes 5 and 9 may be emptied when desired. The steam supply pipe 11,

communicates at its lower end with two nozzles 13 (Fig. 4), one of which projectsinto one of the longitudinal lengths and the. other into one of the transverse lengths of pipe .9, to supply the same with steam in lieu of water when desired.

The steam pipe 11 is provided with a valve 14 and communicates at its upper end with a steam pipe 15, communicating with the steam chamber 16of a spray nozzle 17, consisting of said steam chamber 16 and a water chamber 18. The water chamber 18 is provided adjacent the steam chamber 16 with perforations 19 for the discharge of water,

' which is thrown in a fine fan shaped spray over the fuel in the furnace by steam issuing through perforations 20 in the steam chamber 16.

The water chamber 18, of the spray, nozzle 17, is supplied with hot water from a coil 3 21, arranged in the upper portion of the furnace and communicating at its upper end with a tank 22, a check-valve 23 being provided to prevent back pressure in the coil 21 from blowing into said tank 22. Tank 22 is supplied with water through a pipe 24 leading, from any suitable source, the disl charge of water through said pipe 24 being controlled by a valve 25, provided with a float 26, which drops and opens, the valve when the water level in the tank falls below a certain point. In order to prevent the the'boiler 4. The pipe 27 is provided with of an underlyingendless'pipe 9, which is a valve 29 for cutting off steam to the tank 22 when not required. V I

Returning to the water supply pipe 12, the intake end thereof communicates with a container 30, arranged approximately on a level with the pipes 5 and 9. A check valve 31 is placed on the pipe 12 to check any back pressure from the pipes 5 and 9. As shown in Fig. 1, I may use a single container 30 for each pair of furnaces, a pair of pipes 12, with their valves 31, being shown as connected to the container. The container 30 is supplied with water from the tank 22 through a pipe 32, provided with a valve 33 for checking or regulating the flow'of water through said pipe. The discharge end of pipe 32 is provided 'with a valve 34, having a float 35 which opens when the level of the water in the container falls below a certain point, the object'being to maintain said level on a line just below the perforations in the pipe 5. By having the water from the container 30 enter the pipe 9 before entering the perforate pipe 5, said water is heated and readily converted into vapor or steam, which, on intermixing with the oXygen in the furnace, forms a highly combustible gas, that ignites and produces an intense heat, thereby consuming the carbon and gases arising from the products of combustion, whichusually escape through the stack. Thus the greatest efiiciency and economy in the consumption of fuel is obtained by the use of my system.

In order to prevent thegrate 3 from becoming unduly heated and the consequent lodgment thereon and clogging thereof by sulfur and other products of combustion detrimental tosaid grate, I arrange for a supply of vapor in'the ash-pit by introducing water therein through a pipe 36, communicating with a small container '37, supplied with water through av branch pipe 38 leading from the pipe 32. The water in the ash-pit 2 is maintained at substantially the same level as the water in thesmall container 37, through the interme diacy of a float-controlled valve 39, arranged to open the lower end of the branch pipe 38 when the water falls below a predetermined level in said container 37 Steam is supplied to the furnace above the grate 3, through the intermediacy of nozzles 40, arranged on opposite sides of the spraying nozzle 17 and supplied with steam through a pipe 41, communicating with a manifold 42, communicating with the main supply pipe 28 and two bypasses 43 leading from said main supply pipe 28 and pro-- vided at opposite sides of the latter with valves 44. The manifold 42 is provided at points between its connections with the main supply pipe 28 and the pipes 43 with' 'quick opening valves45,'for a purpose whichwill hereinafter appear. As disclosed by the diagram, Fig. 1, the manifold 42 and its connections are in duplicate for supplying two furnaces, only one of which, however, is shown. The two furnaces may be supplied either simultaneously or independently by proper manipulation. of the valves 44 and 45. When the plant contains but one furnace, the pipe connections of the manifold at one side of the main supply pipe 28 are dispensed with. VVhenthe plant contains two furnaces, each is supplied with a spray nozzle 17, nozzles 40, and a small container 37.

In order to increase the draft in the stack A when charging the furnace, I lead are provided with valves 51 and'52, respectively, to control thefiow of steam theres through.

53 designates'aperforate ring'arranged below'th e central pyramidal portion 3 of the grate, to discharge steam thereunder to prevent the same "fro iiburning outanfd to prevent'the lod'gment of sulfur and other deleterious products of combustion thereon. The ring communicateswith a pipe'54 leadingjfrom the pipe 15 and in which is provided a valve 55.

In practice, the valves 44, either one or both as the case maybe, are normally'left slightly open'to supplyth'e nozzles 17 and 40 with a small quantity of steam when the furnace doors areclosed, but when the furnace doors are open for the purpose of charging the furnace, a stronger flow of steam is desired to intermingle with'thecarbon'in'the smoke and precipitate it intothe fire for consumption, so that the quick opening valves 45 are openedto admit the necessary additional steam. The "steam "that 'arise'sfrom the water in the aish-pit'passes directly through the interstices in the grate and largely prevents "grate clog ging from sulfur deposits, which occur when bituminous coal is burned. The steam issuing from the perforate pipe 5 passes upward through the grate and mingles with the products of combustion, the effect being to raise the temperatureofthe flame and more thoroughly consume not only the fuel butthe products of combustion as well, which in ordinary furnacesare ejected from the sta'ckas smoke. A valved pipe 56, communicating with the pipe 28, is provided for connection to a flue-blower, or cleaner, when desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with the grate of a furnace, of a vaporizer supported adjacent the under side of the grate, a pipe arranged beneath the vaporizer in coincidence therewith and connected thereto for communication, means for supplying water to the pipe, and automatic means for controlling the admittance of the liquid to the pipe to maintain the water therein at a predetermined level.

2. The combination with a furnace having a fire box and a grate in the latter, of a vaporizer comprising a perforated piping disposed beneath the grate in proximity to the underside and outer edge thereof, a series of spaced couplings depending from the perforated piping, a water supply pipe supported by the couplings in coincidence with the perforated piping, laterally extending dead heads secured to the couplings to support the vaporizer from the furnace wall, and means for replenishing the supply of water in the supply pipe.

3. In combination with a steam boiler, of a steam pipe communicating therewith, spaced steam pipes, nozzles connected with the latter and adapted to be arranged within a furnace structure, a manifcld communicatively connecting the first steam pipe with the spaced steam pipes, a quick-opening valve in the manifold on each side of the connection with the first steam pipe, by passes leading from the latter to the manifold at points beyond the quick-opening valves, valves in the by passes, a U-shaped pipe communicating with the manifold at points beyond the by pass connections, and

a jet leading from the U-shaped pipe for valves, valves in the by passes, a U-shaped pipe communicating with the manifold at points beyond the by pass connections, check valves arranged in the U-shaped pipe for opening toward eachother, and a jet leading from the U-shaped pipe between the check valves for disposal in the stack of the furnace to provide a forced draft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE F. PIERCE.

Witnesses:

F. G. FISCHER, L. J FIscHEn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

